In the mood for something fast but maybe not so furious? Turns out, there are a ton of other excellent car movies that have very little to do with "family." From comedy to horror to action, car movies have a plethora of choices for the car aficionado or the mere appreciator.
The best car movies will take the audience on a ride they have never been on before. Car Movies promise adventure and fast-paced thrills that can't be matched in any other mode of transportation. For those reasons, fans across all genres keep coming back for more.
Hit And Run (2012)
Hit and Run follows Charlie (Dax Shepard), a former getaway driver, whose shady past comes back to haunt him. While on a road trip to get his girlfriend, Annie (Kristen Bell), to a big job interview they are being chased by his old criminal friends and his witness protection officer. Their trip becomes problematic when Annie becomes privy to his old wild ways that are now coming to light and the couple must confront what they don't know about each other.
The car comedy is as heartfelt as it is exciting and not to mention funny. The chemistry between the real-life couple, Shepard and Bell, makes the movie feel intimate and loving, something not easily achieved in a car movie. Hit and Run features Shepard's extensive personal car collection which makes the film feel even more personal and high stakes.
Baby Driver (2017)
Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a gifted heist driver with a hearing disorder that means he is constantly listening to music. He is on the cusp of repaying his debt to the criminal ring leader, Doc (Kevin Spacey), who needs him for one last job. However, Doc is willing to do whatever he has to do to retain Baby's skills and has no intention of allowing his freedom so easily.
Baby Driver features plenty of exciting driving and car stunts to keep any viewer impressed with Baby. The film also boasts a truly exceptional soundtrack that firmly places the audience within the story and having an all-around good time. Baby's wild journey gives car movie fans plenty of twists and turns, truly giving a little something for every fan across all genres.
Dude, Where's My Car? (2000)
Jesse (Ashton Kutcher) and Chester (Sean William Scott) are two stoners who go on a wild mission to find their missing car. After a night of partying, the pair cannot remember where they parked, so they naturally try to retrace their steps. In their journey, they come across an eclectic group of people hoping it will lead them to the missing vehicle.
The classic comedy is delightfully never serious and suspends any amount of reality the audience may have for Jesse and Chester's wacky situation. The movie is a lighthearted testament to the love between a young person and their first car. The boys are willing to do anything to recover their beat-up car because it is ultimately their ticket to freedom.
Drive (2011)
Driver (Ryan Gosling) is a Hollywood stuntman by day and a criminal getaway driver by night. Driver agrees to a heist promising a big payday which goes horribly wrong and threatens danger for himself as well as his neighbor and her young son. After developing feelings for his neighbor, Driver takes it upon himself to protect her and her child from the criminal organization threatening them.
The beauty of Gosling's Driver is the simplicity of the character. Driver notoriously says very little but clearly feels very deeply. He is a damaged hero through and through. One of the most exciting car movies, Drive delivers tons of action and intensity for lovers of dark drama.
Gone In 60 Seconds (2000)
Memphis (Nicolas Cage), a retired car thief, is forced back into stealing fifty luxury cars in order to save his brother. He must assemble a group of fellow criminals to help him pull off the multiple heists. He is up against a rival gang as they attempt to derail his progress and take the cars for themselves.
Gone In 60 Seconds is both a heist and car movie wrapped into one. Audiences will have their action thirst quench between the high-speed chases and carjacking schemes. The film features an all-star cast who hold this movie up and undoubtedly make an entertaining criminal team.
The Italian Job (2003)
After a major heist, a group of criminals is fractured when one of their partners steals their gold and kills their safecracker. They swear to find him and exact revenge in order to get their gold back. The team bands together through a dangerous series of events and enact the help of their dead partner's daughter.
The remake boasts a huge cast and promises big thrills. With plenty of action and car chases, The Italian Job makes for an essential car movie. Though the thriller still comes through with plenty of twists and turns throughout the movie.
Christine (1983)
Arnie (Keith Gordon) splurges on a classic car which he names Christine. Arnie forms an unhealthy obsession with the car, making the people in his life uncomfortable. Once the car is defaced it takes on a life of its own and begins killing people who have wronged Arnie.
The horror classic brings a different perspective to the car movie genre and puts the car in the driver's seat. Instead of a means of transportation, Christine is a character all on her own. Christine depicts a fantastical story of a bond between man and car gone dark.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
The most recent installment of the Mad Max franchise follows Max (Tom Hardy) in a post-apocalyptic world where water is scarce. Max ends up in the middle of a high-speed battle between a tyrant and his most trusted warrior as she tries to free his many captive wives. In his captivity Max agrees to help her in order to overthrow the maniacal dictator.
The film offers a tense and thrilling apocalyptic interpretation of a car movie. There are plenty of wild stunts and tricked-out cars to keep fans engaged. The movie also perpetuates timely social commentary and warns against a waterless future.